Home to Stay (The Long Road Home #2) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,34

getting it prepared for the next day. She grabbed her purse and her school bag, and he walked her to the teachers’ parking lot. Standing at her car, she looked up, fighting the urge to smooth the worried crinkle in his forehead.

“Lucy, I know I don’t have any right to ask this, but if you need anything, please, give me a call. Anything at all.”

“Thank you. I’ll be fine, but thank you.” She climbed into her car, her eyes continually moving to her rearview mirror as she pulled away. The sight of him growing smaller in the mirror tugged at her heartstrings. Maybe friendship is all we’ll ever have, but I’ll take it. Somehow, I think being friends with John would be better than not having him in my life at all. With another sigh, she turned the corner as she headed home, his image no longer in sight.

10

John walked into Moose’s Bar again, only this time the nerves snaking through him were tinged with eager excitement. His eyes adjusted to the dark interior quickly, and he spotted Mace sitting with a large group at two tables pushed together. A grin stretched his lips as he shot his gaze over the others. Fit, muscular bodies. Sharp, intelligent eyes that were clocking him as soon as he entered. Even if he hadn’t been told they were Special Ops, it was evident to him that they were more than your average soldiers. For an instant, it was like walking into a bar near the base in North Carolina where his team was stationed between missions.

Mace stood as he approached, his hand out in greeting. “John, good to see you, again.”

“Mace, thanks for inviting me here.”

Mace turned to the others sitting at the table. “I’ve got a few of my friends here for you to meet as well. Starting to my left are Walker, Drew, Babs, and Rank. Across the table are Tate, Cobb, Blake, Josh, and Bray.”

At the last introduction, he did a double-take, his eyes widening in recognition at the man grinning up at him. “Allan Bray? Holy shit, man.” Bray laughed as he stood up, wrapping him in a bear hug, both men slapping each other on the back.

Separating, he glanced over to see the others grinning and Mace’s eyes pinned on the two men. “Bray and I never served on the same team, but we ran a few joint missions. If shit went down, he was a well-known medic.”

Bray laughed, offering a shrug toward Mace. “I didn’t recognize the name John Roster when you mentioned it. I just knew him as Wrecker. Best demolition sergeant.”

After that surprise, John settled next to Mace and ordered a beer. Bray looked over, his smile still firmly in place before turning to the other Keepers. “This guy destroyed a fuckin’ munitions compound on a mission. Did it faster than anyone on either team thought possible. The rest of his team had to hustle to get the recovery out of there. My team’s eighteen-C was one of the best, but he was fuckin’ green with envy over that job you completed.”

Tension eased as John relaxed, thrilled that with that one endorsement from Bray the others smiled, their gazes less assessing than he’d recognized when he walked in.

The conversation amongst the gathering was light considering they were in public, focusing mostly on their military careers. To an observer, it would appear as members of the local American Legion having a few beers after a meeting. It was easy to spot the teasing, competitive camaraderie between the former Navy SEALs and the Army Rangers, Deltas, and Special Forces. He discovered that Drew was their pilot and Bray continued to function as a medic. After an hour, he was completely at ease and impressed as hell with what Mace had brought together for his business.

As Mace signaled to the server for another round, he shifted toward John. “If you’re interested, I’d like to offer you a chance to come to visit our headquarters. There would be an NDA for you to sign, and if we come to an agreement after that, a probationary employment status would take effect.”

He forced his breathing to remain steady, glancing down the table to see the smiles on the others’ faces before turning back to the boss. “Mace, I don’t have to think about it more than what I already have. I’m honored to have this opportunity.”

Mace’s stone expression cracked slightly as his lips curved upward. He held out his hand and